Ten areas where high nature value farming systems are prevalent, where appropriate innovations have been made and where there is need for further innovation. They represent a whole range of regions across Europe: Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

Developing and sharing of innovations that support farming systems in areas of exceptional natural values across Europe through a multi-actor approach.This is a motivation behind an international HNV-Link network supported under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme.

High nature value (HNV) farmland defines areas in Europe where agricultural activities support and are associated with exceptionally high biodiversity. These areas are an important component of European agriculture not only for their natural values but also for cultural heritage, quality products and rural employment. Such farming is practised most frequently in areas where natural constraints prevent intensive production. They mainly, but not exclusively, involve low-intensity livestock farming.

Abandonment or degradation of farmland, intensification of production, and socio-economic decline are long-standing threats for such extensive and nature-friendly farming systems.The challenge is to increase the socio-economic viability of HNV farming while maintaining natural values of HNV farmland, including ecosystem services provided to the society.A new 13-partner network, HNV-Link: “High Nature Value Farming: Learning, Innovation and Knowledge” is dedicated to developing and sharing innovations that support HNV farming systems and communities by simultaneously improving their socio-economic viability and environmental efficiency.

It sprang from work of the EIP-AGRI Focus Group on HNV Farming ProfitabilityTen of the project partners are responsible for areas where HNV farming systems are prevalent and where appropriate innovations have been made. These are the network’s so-called Learning Areas, which span a cross section of Europe. The project links the areas into a peer-learning process and harnesses their innovation expertise for use in other HNV farmland regions.